


Champion.

by caseysnovak (grant)



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sports, American Football, F/F, Poker, honestly its just au idk what else to tag
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:41:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27840010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grant/pseuds/caseysnovak
Summary: Casey P. Novak is the most valuable player in the NFL. She led the New York Jets to two Superbowls and opened the doors for women to play professional Football. She used to be questioned for being a woman, but that doesn't matter when she wins.Then she meets Alexandra Cabot, one of the greatest poker players of all time, and the attraction is inevitable. They don't need too much to find out they're each other's soulmates.
Relationships: Alexandra Cabot/Casey Novak
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	Champion.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! I've been writing this for months but just had enough courage to post this now. Last Saturday, Sarah Fuller became the first woman to ever play for a Power 5 and I was totally proud of her. And I had to post this. 
> 
> Honestly, in the situation New York Jets is right now, wouldn't be crazy if they contract a woman. But I have no timeline to this, actually. 
> 
> Have fun! 
> 
> I'm not native, so if there's huge mistakes you can always talk to me! 
> 
> And of course we have a playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6fk6GvqpNQfJpHxJzNwxPg?si=ZY5vjO93QVKHNnwY-eBH-A
> 
> Title comes from “Champion” by Fall Out Boys and RM of BTS.

_**Should I be a star?** _

_**Baby I think I already are** _

“Kill, kill, kill!” Casey screamed and a second later the ball was in her hand. She could see the pocket ruining slowly, even with her teammates trying to secure she wouldn't be tackled. 

Someone exited the pocket. He was coming in her direction and, in a dangerous call, she dribbles him. Another one is coming so Casey knows there's just one thing to do. 

She runs fast as she can, passing through three defenders and jumping another one. The screams of the fans started to become louder and louder but it was just a dull noise. Casey didn't stop. She got away from the safety and knew there are just ten more yards. 

Someone's getting close to her so Casey ran even more. No one is going to stop her right now. 

_**Touchdown.** _

Casey smiles the second she stepped into the end zone. She throws the ball on the floor very hard, knowing she deserves that touchdown after such a fucking bad game.

And they're winning now. 

“Great play, Case!” Her coach said when she sits on the bench. 

One more minute to go and they can finish this. Playing against Philadelphia Eagles always had been the worst thing since Casey started her career at Football. 

Born and raised in New York, of course, Casey would hate playing against them. But also they're the first team she played and lost. After the Superbowl, everyone was in love with her. So in the second game of the regular season, she lost for the Eagles right in their home. They almost begged to bench her, but their quarterbacks were all injured. 

But she proved herself, she won another Superbowl, against no one else than Patriots of Tom Brady, and everything seems fine. She was the main quarterback, even though everyone keeps saying shit to her because of her gender. Doesn't matter anyway, she was on her way to her third Superbowl. 

×

“Casey!” Someone screamed when the woman was dressing her clothes. She knew who it was immediately. 

“Hey, Abbs! Come here!” Casey yelled back, knowing the woman well enough to know she'd invade the locker room anyway. 

“Great win today, baby!” The brunette woman said when she entered Casey's locker room. The redhead didn't stare at her best friend, but the other woman stepped in front of her anyway. “I really thought you might have your first defeat of this season.”

“I love when you don't believe me,” Casey replied while putting on her blazer. Besides being the most valuable player of the last season, she was also known because of her style. Always in suits or dressing to kill.

Casey knew the media would destroy her if she dressed casually, without any sense of fashion like her teammates. She was a woman in the middle of the men. They always blame her for anything. 

“I can't lose anymore. And I'll do anything to not.” 

“Well, you're a beast. Happily, you're here and not in Giants.” Abbie said, smiling for the other woman. But she looked into Casey's pained face and knew there was something wrong. “Casey? You got hit by someone?” 

“It was in the first quarter. I'm okay, but it was a man with 6.5 feet and 286 pounds. No one could stop him and he took me onto the floor. But I'm okay, I just need some sleep.” She said smiling and trying to calm her friend down. 

“Sleep? Do you forget about our little party?” Abbie said out loud, looking confused. 

“After a game, Abs?” Casey asked, looking tired, but the woman shrugged. 

“You promised me you'd come! C'mon, Cas, it's the only time we can have a reunion with the MVP of basketball, baseball, and football! And also Lewis Hamilton and Alexandra Cabot!” Abbie tried to convince her best friend who sighed. 

“Who's Alexandra Cabot again? I know almost everyone in that Whatsapp group you created but not her.” 

“She's like the best poker player ever. Alex is a billionaire, I think, just with the money she made with poker. She's known as ' _the queen_ ' also.” Abbie explained, giving Casey her coat. The quarterback shakes her head, sighing out loud. She didn't want to be at any party, it was just Thursday, for God's sake. 

But there are always things she should do to make her name markable. She had to be there, take photos with Sue Bird, LeBron James, Cody Bellinger, and even Alexandra Cabot. These are things she never wanted but it comes with fame. And it wasn't like she didn't like them, she and Bird once traveled together. But she just wants to be at home, watching her own game and making the corrections she needs. 

Abbie would never understand that. She was a soccer player, she was currently playing for Sky Blue FC and won a World Cup too. But she liked to remind everyone she was at the end of her career at the small age of 31. 

While Casey, at 29, was currently trying to get her third Superbowl. She didn't want to be away from the kids starting now, she wanted to beat them all like she beat the formers quarterback. Like she beat the NFL as a whole and became the first woman to be a quarterback in NFL history. 

It wasn't easy for her. After losing three games this season, many (misogynists) wanted to bench her. She had to work harder than anyone else to stay on the top. And of course, that didn't include parties after her work. 

“Are we close?” Casey asked when they're in Abbie's car. She was watching her game and making some notes on her phone and just noted the car stopped after a while. 

“Yes, there are so many people here. Ugh, I'll hate to walk around to search Megan and Sue.” Abbie complained. 

“I don't know if that would be so bad.” Casey played and Abbie punched her softly. 

They smiled for each other and Casey came back to her studies. She thought if she could come earlier tomorrow to training, but knew her coach wouldn't like her pressing herself so much. 

“Now you gonna forget this!" Abbie yelled and scaring Casey. A second later, she took the things away from the quarterback. Casey sighed, looking to the hotel bored. 

The brunette exited her car and Casey followed her, and she looked to the reporters and paparazzi there. They'd absolutely fucked her if she does something wrong.

Casey didn't like to drink so she tried to calm herself down and smiled at the cameras around. She promised herself she'd take photos with the MVPs, spend some time doing some public relationships, and exit there before 4 am. 

Before Casey could even complain, Abbie took her to the poker's table. There are always people who play other sports losing their money for poker stars. 

“Hey Alex!” Abbie said happily and Casey knew she was going to fucking something to Casey. 

“Hey, Abbs! How are you? I watched you last week, that goal was amazing!” The blonde woman said and Casey could finally look at her. 

She was amazingly beautiful like she was a goddess or something else. She just couldn't be real. What in the hell? Someone being that beautiful shouldn't be allowed. She had piercing blue eyes behind her glasses and just her look seemed to be so insanely smart. Casey was speechless with her beauty. 

“Oh, thanks bud! I told Casey here it was for her but she didn't care. By the way, this is Casey Novak, but you must know her, she's the Jets' quarterback.” Abbie presented her fast like it wasn't a big thing. Casey always got her ears becoming red when Abbie did that. 

“Hey, it's just a pleasure to meet the most powerful woman in the country! I'm Alexandra Cabot!” The blonde said, reaching out for Casey to shake. The quarterback reached back but she knew she was blushing. 

What in the hell? She was a rookie again?

“Hey! Nice to meet you, Abbie here talked so much about you!” Casey replied back, feeling her hand sweating. However, she didn't notice that her hand was still tied with Alex's until the woman pulled it back. 

“She better do! We used to be college roommates, you know. I almost became pro soccer as well, but I preferred poker and never got away from it.” 

Alex's voice was so soft that Casey was totally enchanted by that. 

“You go to Harvard Law School too?” 

“Yes! I'm a lawyer legalized by BAR, but I preferred to not practice.” 

“I was at Law School too, but I was two years before you two!” Casey said happily to have something in common with that beautiful woman. 

“That's so cool! Harvard had the three best athletes in the country in the same era.” Alex smiled for Casey, who nodded. She noticed Abbie was gone and sighed. “Now, do you know how to play poker, Miss Novak?" 

“Just the basics, I never played it for real.” She replied. 

Alex didn't get bothered by her answer and immediately took a place for her to sit and sat on her side. The blonde looked like they're already best friends. 

Casey didn't complain. 

But she couldn't never be _just_ friends with that woman. 

“Then I'll teach you,” Alexandra said in Casey's ear. The redhead blushed immediately, waiting that no one noticed her shyness. 

Alex announced she was going to play and everyone on the table complained about that like they know they already lose. Alex just rolled her eyes and made Casey take some cards like her. 

The blonde woman was making a face of pure concentration and Casey did her best to not bite her lip with luxury. Just a few things could be hot as that face the blonde was making. Casey couldn't even look for her cards, to know how much she was already losing (because she knew she was losing money but it didn't care for the first time). 

“Well, you're really bad,” Alex whispered to Casey, looking for her cards. The quarterback took her cards away from the blonde's eyes immediately and frowned. Alex laughed softly and Casey couldn't take her eyes away from the other woman's lips. 

“You should teach me for real,” Casey said and she didn't pretend it to be so flirty, but it was anyway. 

“Probably not here,” Alex replied, her breath in Casey's ears. The quarterback felt a shiver go through her body, feeling anxious with the woman's words. 

A second later, Alex dropped her cards and everyone on the table swore her. Casey didn't understand exactly why, just saw them dropping their cards as well. Casey could see their eyes burning with anger like they're supposing Alex was cheating. But no one could prove that. 

“Let's pick up my money, babe,” Alex exclaimed to Casey, her eyes shining. She stood up to exit the table but she looked back. “Sorry I can't take your money anymore!” She exclaimed and the people around complained. 

Alex walks in the direction to take her money while Casey started to walk around to see anyone she knows. She took photos with LeBron, Sue Bird, and her girlfriend Megan Rapinoe; and she put some of their photos on her stories, to show people how charismatic she was when she felt a touch on her shoulder. 

It was from Alex again. 

“Hey, don't you want to go elsewhere?” She mumbled into the redhead's ear. Casey knew she had seen the previous reactions given by the quarterback and was doing that intentionally. 

“Where?”

“You'll see if you trust me,” Alex replied. 

“And should I?” Casey questioned, sounding hesitant.

But if Alex asked her to take her to the moon, she'd go without a second thought. 

“Absolutely.” 

Casey took a deep breath. She had never been so reckless in her life, not like that. But she wanted to be reckless for the first time, so she nodded and followed the blonde. 

Alex guided Casey to the parking, where valets and other celebrities are walking around. They didn't look too much to the couple. Alex waited for someone to bring her car and opened the passenger's door to Casey, who had her eyes widen. 

“Fuck, this is…” 

“A Lamborghini Reventón? This is my baby.” Alex replied to Casey's question. 

The quarterback was shocked. It was a million-dollar car, and even though Casey's car was a Ferrari 488 Spider, it wasn't even half expensive as the Reventón. She felt strange to be sitting there, even though she could have one car like that if she wanted. 

“You're in silence,” Alex said softly. 

“Just watching the city. I don't have enough time to appreciate how beautiful New York is.” Casey replied, her eyes turning to see Alex driving. The blonde nodded. 

“I know. I was born here in Manhattan, but I grew up around the world. My father was a businessman and a single father, so he took me anywhere.” Alex shared and Casey could see she was sad. She didn't want to press the woman anymore. 

“I was born here too, but I grew up in Seattle. Then, I came back for East Coast to be at Harvard and came back here to New York play for the Sharks. Jets' quarterbacks were all of them with injuries and they couldn't sign any _man_ to their roster anymore, due some NFL's punishment. They picked me and I was brilliant.” Casey shared her story too and saw a smile grow on Alex's face. 

"I watched your first games. I was like ‘if this girl is really good, she'll recreate football’ and bingo! I was right. There are kickers, punts and even one girl playing in the defense. That's so crazy to do.” Alex said softly and Casey was smiling. 

She felt a hand on her knee and didn't felt uncomfortable. For a second, Casey was in peace. She never felt that way before and she asked herself if it was bad for her image. 

There's no lesbian in the Football scenario. But there wasn't any woman four years ago as well. She was a starter and she knew her teammates wouldn't ever treat her badly.

Alex took her to the Hudson River. Casey was surprised, but the woman parked next there and smiled at Casey. 

“I was pretending to take you to my apartment. I have bad intentions with you, I'll not lie. But you seem tired and you had a tough game tonight, so what about Italian food?” Alex asked softly and Casey's heartache. Why was she being so nice to her? 

Casey knew she just wants to have sex with her, it was pretty clear in every look she gave to Casey's direction through the night. So it was unexpected. However, it wasn't bad. 

“Do you promise me bistecca alla fiorentina?” Casey questioned with a soft smile, showing her dimples. 

“Sì signora,” Alex replied and the shiver through Casey's body was back. 

She could hear Alex saying Italian all night. She could hear Alex speaking all night too. 

She wasn't disappointed when Alex took her into a very cute restaurant. It was very simple but looked warm. They took a table next to the windows and a small man with a mustache came into their table. He didn't look bothered by the very known faces, just smiled for them. 

“Buona Notte, signore! I'm Andrea, I'll be your waiter tonight, and here are your menus.” He said and Casey smiled for his accent. He was not American and his accent was so beautiful when he spoke Italian. 

“No need for menus tonight, Andrea. She'll have a bistecca alla fiorentina and I'll have lasagna. You can bring your best wine too.” Alex gently told and the waiter nodded, looking into her eyes and finally recognizing the face. 

“Of course, Alexandra. Will you want anything else?” He didn't look bothered by her interruption, and Casey noticed he recognized her because she was used to dinner there, not because of her status. 

“I don't think so. Thank you, Andrea.”

After Alex's words, the man walked back to the kitchen. There was a silence at the table while Casey was looking for the Hudson River. It was so dark and yet so pretty. She looked back to Alex, who was watching her the whole time. 

They stayed in silence, looking for each other like they're trying to figure out their souls without words needed. The silence was full, and it didn't make either of them uncomfortable. The best writers on the History say the eyes are the door of the soul, and while they're staring at each other so hard that both could agree. 

“When you become a poker player?" Casey asked finally, breaking the silence. Alex blinked subtly, leaving the hypnotized state she was. 

“I was twenty-one. I grew up playing poker with many friends of my father, and they all were so powerful that when I beat them, I usually came back home with almost hundreds of dollars. My father took me to my first pro game and I won ten hundred dollars. He told me I should be one poker player but I just played to pay for my college.” Alex explained with a sad smile on her face. 

Casey could see she was opening herself without hesitation and she knew the woman felt something else too. 

“You started this while you're doing your Law School? That's fucking awesome." Casey said. She was telling the truth. To stay in the first ones in the class, she had to abdicate her own life and friends. 

“I did. When I finished college, I started to be a professional. It was pretty crazy but I won everything I played in two years. I won a World Series of Poker with just twenty-six.” Alex replied and she had an arrogant and malicious smile on her face. Casey couldn't blame her, though. 

She was pretty sick to become a billionaire in that environment. 

“That's so awesome. I cannot say anything else because I'm like, surrendered by your archives. I want to be you when I grow up.” Casey answered and Alex laughed, touching her hand on the table. 

“You're saying that like you aren't a two times Superbowl champion.” Alex softly said. Casey was going to answer when Andrea came back with their wine. 

The man smiled with apologies but Casey was thinking in the cold she felt after Alex let her hand go. She was starting to fight with herself, why in the hell she was so needed for a woman's touch? 

“I mean, I am. But I had people behind me and you did this all by yourself.” Casey's words were more bitter than she pretend and she was already thinking that Alex would be tired of her. 

“Everyone had someone behind their backs, Casey,” Alex answered and the touch in her hand came back, while Alex was drinking the wine and staring at her. 

Casey blushed again. It was going to be a very long night. 

After their called date, Alex happily took Casey to her apartment in Midtown Manhattan. The dinner was so good and Casey wanted to stay there forever. With Alex's presence and a glass of good wine, she would live happily. 

However, she had to come back to her life. And when Alex parked in front of her apartment, she remembered that. 

“I'd like to do this again someday,” Casey said low, her hands caught her attention in a way to avoid Alex's eyes. The redhead didn't want to press the blonde but she did want to have another dinner like that. 

“This night wasn't the way I expected if I'm honest…” Alex started and Casey took a deep breath, feeling extremely disappointing. “It was way better. I feel a connection with you, Casey, I don't know what it is. I want to discover and we must dinner again.”

Her words caught Casey with surprise and the redhead looked into the woman's eyes. Alex had a smile on her face and suddenly, she was taking her seat belt and leaning into Casey. 

Her lips connected into the redhead's and they both closed their eyes with the soft contact. Casey felt her heart racing like she was in the field again. Alex had warm and soft lips and the redhead couldn't stop herself from exploring, her tongue touching the blonde's up lips to ask her permission. 

Alex happily agreed, their tongues fighting for dominance in the kiss, and Alex won that when she bites Casey's lips softly, making the redhead softly moaning. Casey had to be honest: she wanted the blonde so badly. 

But she got away from her a second later. She was a public person, she couldn't kiss anyone in front of her apartment because that would be on the tabloids tomorrow morning. 

“I have to go,” Casey said, her breath heavy because of the kisses. 

“Alright.” Alex nodded, cleaning her mouth while she still was looking for Casey. 

The redhead almost took back her words, but she walked out of the car and waved goodbyes to Alex. 

She didn't look back when she entered the hall of her apartment. She didn't look back to see what Alex was doing. 

Because if she did, she could see the woman watching her enter her apartment while she was regretted not asking the quarterback's number. 

×

“And you didn't gave her your number?” Abbie's voice was hoarse than usual and it wasn't because she was in a deep hungover. It was because she was very mad at Casey. 

“I forgot, okay?!” Casey replied, her phone in her ear while she was entering the field to training. 

“Why in the fucking hell you forget to ask the number of the most fucking beautiful woman you ever put your tongue in?” Abbie screamed and Casey regretted she couldn't put her phone away. 

“If you keep screaming I'm going to turn off this call.” She warned but her best friend didn't care. 

“You can turn off this call now because I am almost walking there to beat in your face.” Casey rolled her eyes with her best friend's voice. 

“Yeah, you can come here. But you can also bring your phone so I can get her number.” 

“No way. Ask her or something else.” Abbie denied it immediately. Casey's coach was coming next, she had to finish that call. 

“I can't ask her if I don't have her number, your idiot!" 

“Then that's your problem, honey. And social networks exist, you know? We're not in 1950 anymore. Now, bye, because I'm mad you called me an idiot. Don't call me anymore Casey Patricia Novak!” Abbie said before turn off her phone. 

“Fuck, I hate her,” Casey mumbled and she caught her coach's attention. 

She put her things on the floor next to the bench and immediately was on his side. The man smiled for that because she wasn't just their quarterback. She was their leader and captain too, so her presence there, before anyone else, was extremely important. 

“Yo, Case, I was thinking that Rams is pretty good at defending you in the air. So we should start to think about plays on the floor…” 

Casey pays attention to the man. But he wasn't exactly a good coach, almost all of his success was because of Casey and her WRs. The defense wasn't so good, so they always got points against them and his ideas about the game against the Rams were making Casey worried. 

She was good at making big plays, running and dribbling the defenders, but his plans about making her hit against the defenders weren't good. She knew something could be very bad. 

Casey took her worries until Sunday. She hadn't any time to think about Alex again and Abbie was out of the US, playing friendlies in Europe, making it even hard to remember to send a message for the blonde. 

But to her surprise, hours before her game, she received a message on her Instagram. 

**_Alexandra Cabot (@thequeen)_ **

_Hey Casey! Have a good game today!_

_P.s: forgot to ask you your phone soo_

_**Casey Novak (@novak10)** _

_Omg, thank you bby! I totally forgot to ask u too, I'm sorry :(_

**_Alexandra Cabot (@thequeen)_ **

_I just accept your apologies if you score a touchdown for me._

**_Casey Novak (@novak10)_ **

_Then you can accept it._

_Have to come back to my locker room, thank you for the wishes!_

Casey sighed out loud, looking at Alex's profile photo. Why was she so beautiful? Fuck, Casey swore. She had to concentrate on the game, so she threw her phone into her locker and started to get ready for the game. 

Tonight was going to be a war. 

And Casey didn't expect to be that way. She started the game, doing some of the plays her coach asked her to do. But most of that didn't work, so she had to improvise and sent a big play for DK Metcalf, her best wide receiver. He scored a touchdown and she was relieved. 

But everything went down after that. The Rams' offensive was too good, and with just two plays of them, they scored too. It was tied, 7x7, in the middle of the second half when everything happened. 

Casey was in the pocket, looking around searching for Metcalf. They're doing the play her coach ordered to do, trying to get yards on the floor. But the pocket was running and Casey was coming back, trying to run away. 

She didn't even notice the man out the pocket, neither his run in her direction. She just felt the impact and the way she hit against the floor. 

“ _Fuck, pretty way to lose,_ ” she thought before the conscious takes her away. 

When Casey woke up, the white walls immediately blinded her. Her hand covered her face and she took a deep breath. She was alive, that's a miracle. She thought she was going to meet her dear God after that. 

When the redhead could properly see around, there was someone in the door looking at her. Casey was immediately surprised and knew she was dreaming. What Alexandra was doing there? 

“Hey you" Alex softly said and Casey sighed. 

“Where am I?” Casey asked, her voice sounding hoarser than usual. She really wants water. 

Alex looked like she could hear Casey's thoughts and immediately run to give her the water she needed. 

“In the Hospital. What's the last thing you remember?" 

Casey looked at her to see if she was kidding or something else. 

She wasn't. 

“One Rams defender hitting me,” Casey replied and Alex sighed in relief. 

“You had a concussion, I thought you're not going to remember anything,” Alex said with apologies and Casey started to feel the things around. 

Her arm was tied. Her leg was getting supported. There's plaster everywhere. 

“How long?” She asked. 

“What?" 

“How long I'll need to stay with this and when I'll come back to the field?” Casey questioned and was and with the glance in Alex's eyes. There's a pity and if there's something Casey never liked was fucking _pity_. 

The doctor entered the room at that moment and Casey thanks the heaven. She was going to scream with Alex because of her frustration and the woman didn't deserve that. 

“When I'll come back to the field, doctor?" Casey asked and the doctor took a step back like he was surprised by her voice. 

He cleared his throat. Casey sighed out loud. One year or more, for sure. 

“Hello, Miss Novak. I'm Connor Paulson and I'm your doctor. Well, about your question, you got six injuries. One in your arm, it was broken on your fall, two in your fingers, one in each leg, and one in your elbow. You got into a coma for two days because of your pain.” He said softly. 

“I don't understand… it was so aggressive?" She asked rhetorically.

“Miss Novak, he had something against you. It wasn't a normal tackle, it was to end your career. I think people around you knew that so they sent you to make that kind of play. You could die in that night.” Dr. Paulson replied and Casey took a deep breath. 

Why would they want to end her career? She gave the Jets the glory, she brought the team to the true heaven days. And her coach organized to end her _life_. 

“You can sue your coach." Alex's voice came back and Casey remembered she was still there. She forgot about the woman's presence. 

However, Alex was right. She could sue her coach. 

“I'll not be against my team." That could be the true end of her NFL career.

“Your coach was fired last night. He's being threatened in New York because of that play, everyone knows he wanted to end your career.” Alex said and Casey had a deep breath. 

“Then I would want to sue him. And the guy who made the tackle. No, I don't want to. I _will_.” Casey said but Alex smiled for her. 

“You can't sue anyone involved in this case, surely. I could represent you at the Court.” She said and Casey could see the fire in her eyes. 

“ _The queen of Poker_ advocating for me? That's fucking an honor.” Casey answered softly. But she had more important questions right now. “How many months until I come back to the field?” 

The doctor looked to the ceiling like it hurts on _him_. Casey almost laughed with the irony. She was the one who got hit by a man. Not him. 

“Twelve months if we're optimistic.” He replied and Casey leaned back into the sheets. 

A year without football. A year. 

She had 7 wins, she was going for the Superbowl. Instead, she was going to be healing for a fucking whole year. For a second, she wants to die. 

But she looked to Alex next there, without knowing what the woman, of most people, was doing there and knew there are things she had to live with yet. 

She had to fight. Her mantra was literally parasite today, loser tomorrow. She had to fight. Against her former coach, against the fucking defender who almost took her life, and against everyone who comes in her way. 

Casey didn't notice she was crying until Alex hugged her. She breathed the woman's smell and knew everything was going to be okay. And for the first time, it didn't matter she was crying in front of someone. Not when this one was Alexandra Cabot. 

× 

Casey slept after her crying. She just knew that when she woke up her eyes again, and by the window, she could see it was night. One of 365 she had to spend until she come back for the field again. 

“Hey, sleeping beauty.” Abbie's voice was relieving in the middle of the chaos. Casey looked to her friend with tears already there. What Abbie would do without her? “You scared me so hard, bitch.” The brunette said, tears in her eyes too. 

She ran and hugged Casey close, making Casey lose her breath. The redhead let her do that, afterward, she almost lost her best friend. Casey knew Abbie wouldn't resist without her. The brunette hasn't family beside her, just like Casey too. They're the only thing that matters in one another's life. 

“I came earlier from Asia when I heard the news. I was so scared, I thought you're here alone but Alex was in the stadium and came here with you.” Abbie said with her voice failing. Casey nodded. 

“It was good to wake up to someone's known face. She promised me we'd sue my former coach and the one who made the tackle.” Casey replied softly and Abbie hugged her again. 

It was slightly softer than the other hug and it was just to make clear she was there. The redhead knew she was afraid. 

“How much is the time you'll spend recovering?" 

“My doctor told me one year. One whole year without football.” The quarterback replied and Abbie sighed out. 

“So you'll come back then?” The brunette asked softly. 

Casey looked at her, not understanding what she was saying. 

“Yes, I will. Why are you mad?” 

“Casey, you almost died there. Next time, you'll not have this amount of luck.” Abbie replied with sad eyes. 

“I'd rather die than give up on Football, Abigail,” Casey said hardly and Abbie got away from her. Casey could hear the sound of her hiccups and felt immediately guilty. But she wasn't lying. 

“Alright.” Abbie's voice was weak and she didn't care enough to give Casey a true answer before leaving the room. 

The redhead wanted to scream, to cry, to punch something. Instead, she closed her eyes and prayed that everything was unreal. She was playing with the Rams. She was doing her job, playing wonderfully. 

Casey felt asleep dreaming of things that even if she wished hard, wasn't going to happen. 

**Author's Note:**

> I really hope you guys like this! And also, if you want, I made headcanons about this:  
> https://slayslytherin.tumblr.com/post/636407840399032320/calex-football-au  
> 
> 
> And also, in the middle of the weeks when I was writing, we do had seen: Drew Brees' injuries, a team entering with one quarterback from 3rd division (Dallas Cowboys), a team playing without quarterback (Denver Broncos last Sunday) and many more. But there's something we haven't see this season: a Jets' win.


End file.
